Okay so here is my story... I've recently been promoted and relocated to New Jersey, and my birthday is coming up in mid-May so I am hoping to buy myself something. My current set-up on my car is simply a K&N intake and SLP loudmouths.
I called Chuck @ CoW last week with the intent on setting up a time to get Longtubes w/ catted X-pipe installed, and based on how the car will be used he pretty much sold me on the idea of getting a 4.10 rear diff instead.
If we assume that the cost for each with a tune is about the same, which one would you choose and what are the advantages / disadvantages of each? Also, if my plan was to do them both eventually (within the next year maybe), is there a reason to do one before the other? Those are pretty much the only things I am considering at this point but if there are any other recommendations you have for the same price that may be better please feel free to share! I like the idea of the 4.10 rear, but I like the power/sound gains from headers as well.

So if the situation was the exact same car, one with each set-up from say a 30mph roll, which is better and why?

The car will be used pretty much as a daily driver when the weather gets nice, it is not tracked, normally just used for commuting to and from work and for normal street driving.

Thank you guys for your expert insight, any info would be great to help me decide.

Here's a pic for the hell of it


Thanks

 

You are in NJ. Go to got to ECS and get some LT's and a tune. I wouldn't even mess with the 4.10's. It makes 1st so short I know ppl with M6's that don't even use it anymore.

 

^^^^ agreed. besides the headers will make it sound sweet!

 

First, I would do (and have done) headers and a tune before the gears. Mostly because if this is a DD for you, and you go on the highway, 4:10 gears will make the car rev pretty high at higher speeds. Is your car an A6 or M6? if it is an A6, you will get more out of a 3200 torque converter IMO than the gears from what I have been reading. That will be my next mod, and then maybe the SC, but that requires many more $$!

 

Headers and a tune for sure you will get 2 for one with the headers, power gains, plus a very nice exhaust note.

 

Unless you do the 1/4 mile a lot I would not worry with deeper gears.
I also think that the LS2 intake is not very good, and improving the exhaust without doing anything to it will not result in much gain......so forget the gears and get a good CAI, headers, and a tune.
Good luck with what ever you do, and I hope you like your new job.

Larry

 

4.10 gears in a manual shift six speed car is how GM should have built these cars from day one! It is a night and day difference in how they drive that puts a permanent smile on your face every time you get in it the driver seat. Ask anyone who actually has them in their car.

 

Did you ever drive one, or are you going by hearsay?



It never helps someone to give advice with unfounded experience...drive a C6 with 4.10s, you would be very surprised that what you heard is different than what you would experience. Not only is first usable, you will still retain high MPG. I did Chuck's 4.10s as one of my first mods and it was the best bang for the buck hands down...as did many of the guys I know with C6s. There's a lot of info here in tech if you search for it.

To the OP... find someone locally with the two mod setups you are considering and go for a ride to see what YOU think...its your money and only YOU know what you are looking for. Come to LI to the beach on Sundays, we can show you just about any combo you can think of.

Here are some videos to show the OP about 4.10s:





Not really true...my car with 4.10s at highway speeds...note RPM and MPG



This run was done legally at a Mile Run in FL on an airport runway by Joe_G


And this A6s 1st gear with 3.42s has a final drive ratio of 13.78 while the MN6s 1st with 4.10s has a final drive ratio of 10.91... so in essence, this A6 in 1st is equivalent to an MN6 in first with a 5.13 rear (if one existed) and this doesn't look useless to me either.

 

I was surprised when I got my car back from the longtube headers mod. It extends the rpm range and gave me 800 additional rpms. So not only does the engine produce slightly more hp at lower rpms (after a tune), it also pulls longer. This means you will get into next gear at higher rpms than before. I felt it as like I had gotten a lower gearing but in reality it is just that the car is faster.

PeO.

 

Wow,
Thank you everyone for the info and advice. After talking with chuck I am pretty sold on the idea of the 4.10's. I was kind of hesitant to start messing with the actual drive set-up because I didn't know if it would make the car almost unusable as a DD. The car is a MN6 BTW, I believe I left that out of the original post. I guess what it comes down to for me is the practicality of changing the gearing on an otherwise stock car.

Thank you all again for the great info.... Keep it coming!

 

Listening to Howard? How in the Vette? I get it in my truck, but that has Sirius!

Off Topic - Sorry

 

I have Kooks LT, VR CAI, 160 stat, ECStune and it pulls great. Happy to show you. 3rd and 4th just pull hard

 

If you get 4.10s and a tune, your tune will need to be redone when you add headers; so unless Chuck will retune for free, adding headers later will mean paying for a tune twice. So I'd do the headers and port the intake at the same time if you can swing that. Then get 4.10s next. If you add the gears first, consider holding off on the tune until adding the headers unless the retune charge is minimal.

 

Cartek isnt that far

 

4:10's were the best mod I did to the car. I have M6 Z51 with heads, cam, headers, exhaust, intake, etc. 1st gear is not too short.

 

You need a RPM setting changed for the 4.10's in the tune. If you do gears last, have the tuner set the settings for 4.10's. It wont have any impact with the 3.42's, but it will save you a trip back to the tuner and some $$$ if you do gears.

 

This guy must have been an HONOR STUDENT!

BRILLIANT Advice! The trouble with this forum is (not just the wise *** comments) that all too often we get advice from people
that don't have experience with the parts they are saying don't work...

Right Again!

Chuck CoW re-tunes EVERYONE'S CAR FOR FREE When they come back to us for the mods! Always.

By the way... I put the 4.10s in CRAIGSTER05's 06 Z51 car as well.....

Chuck CoW

 

No tune required...

Unlike headers a 4.10 gear is immediate maximum smiles without having to get a tune, whereas headers require a tune to get the other "50%" of the benefit of installing them.


Another BIG benefit is since no tune is required you will not lose your drivetrain warranty, other than the diff you modified of course. When a tune is done if you have a catastrophic engine or transmision failure and the tune has been modified your warranty can absolutely rejected, leaving you with the bill for repairs.

 

Mr. Craigster has excellent advice. As much as I love my 4.10s though I think my vote is for headers. Gears are great but headers are a base mod for every build path you could choose with the exception of turbo. No matter what your intended driving style or build criteria, headers will always be a benefit. Gears are still a benefit but fall into a smaller window of usage depending on the ratio and your intended use of the car. Make sure you know exactly what you want out of your car and weigh the mods against your likelihood of changing your mind in the future and if that mod will still fit your goals.

The tristate area has some great LS tuners so you're very fortunate. Mr. Chuck has a great rep on here but going to NJ, id try out Cartek and ECS. Two of the best shops this side of the (flooded) Delaware. Plus being close to your tuner is a HUGE benefit that some don't realize. Id choose the best tuner that's the most convenient distance for you. Don't feel bad about turning one tuner down for another. This is business and customer satisfaction is what matters most.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

98% of the time a gear swap in an M6 does not require any tuning. I was one of the few that had my speedo slightly off after a gear swap, even then it was a 5% error, not the full amount of the ratio change.